Treadmill

ABSTRACT

A treadmill including two supporting mechanisms respectively disposed under two pedals. Each supporting mechanism includes a rock arm one end of which is pivotally connected with the bottom of each pedal. The other end of the rock arm via a pivot shaft is pivotally connected with one end of a supporting arm. The other end of the supporting arm is connected with a frame body of the treadmill.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to a treadmill having two side by side arranged pedals. The pedals are effectively supported so that the operation of the treadmill is stabilized to ensure safety.

A conventional treadmill includes two independent pedals pivotally mounted on a seat body. Each pedal is equipped with a buffering restoring cylinder, whereby after the pedal is treaded, the buffering restoring cylinder can buffer and restore the pedal to its home position. In such structure, a supporting mechanism is disposed under each pedal for supporting the pedal. However, the supporting mechanism can hardly stably support the pedal. Therefore, a user can hardly smoothly and safely tread the pedals. Also, it is inconvenient to use such treadmill.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a treadmill in which two side by side arranged pedals are stably supported by two supporting mechanisms so that the pedals can be safely and smoothly treaded.

According to the above object, the treadmill of the present invention includes: a frame body; two pedals side by side pivotally mounted on the frame body, each pedal being looped with a circulating belt; and a pivoting linking mechanism disposed on inner side of a front beam of the frame body for alternatively mutually driving the pedals. A buffering cylinder is disposed between each pedal and the frame body. The buffering cylinder is connected with a supporting mechanism, whereby when the pedals are mutually drivingly moved in reverse directions, the buffering cylinders serve to buffer the movement. The supporting mechanism is mounted under each pedal and includes a rock arm one end of which is pivotally connected with a bottom of each pedal. The other end of the rock arm via a pivot shaft is pivotally connected with one end of a supporting arm. The other end of the supporting arm is connected with the frame body.

The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention, in which the pedals are removed;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the present invention, showing the operation thereof;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the present invention, showing the operation thereof; and

FIG. 6 is a top view of another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 1 to 5. The treadmill of the present invention includes a frame body 1, a pivoting linking mechanism 3 mounted in the frame body 1 and two pedals 2A, 2B side by side pivotally mounted on the frame body 1. Each pedal 2A, 2B is looped with a circulating belt 21A, 21B. In this embodiment, the pivoting linking mechanism 3 includes a pulley 31 disposed on inner side of a front beam 11 of the frame body 1 and a pull cord 32 wound over the pulley 31. Two ends of the pull cord 32 are respectively connected to two supporting mechanisms 30 which are respectively mounted under the pedals 2A, 2B. Each supporting mechanism 30 has a rock arm 33 one end of which is pivotally connected with the bottom of each pedal 2A, 2B. The other end of the rock arm 33 via a pivot shaft 35 is pivotally connected with one end of a supporting arm 34. The rock arm 33 includes two corresponding side slats 331 pivotally connected with each other via a pivot shaft 332. The supporting arm 34 includes two corresponding side slats 341 pivotally connected with each other via a pivot shaft 342. The rock arm 33 and the supporting arm 34 contain an angle to form a V-shaped structure.

A connecting beam 8 is connected between two lengthwise beams 6, 7 of the frame body 1. The supporting mechanism 30 is mounted on the connecting beam 8. The supporting arm 34 via a pivot plate 81 is pivotally connected with the connecting beam 8, whereby the supporting arm 34 can be pivoted up or down.

An adjustment bolt 36 is connected with the pulley 31. The adjustment bolt 36 extends out of the front beam 11 and has an adjustment section 361 disposed on outer side of the front beam 11 for easy adjustment. Accordingly, through the pivoting linking mechanism 3 and the supporting mechanism 30, the elevation of the pedals 2A, 2B can be adjusted. In addition, a buffering cylinder 4 is disposed between each pedal 2A, 2B and the frame body 1. The buffering cylinder 4 is connected with the rock arm 33, whereby when the pedals 2A, 2B are mutually drivingly moved in reverse directions, the buffering cylinders 4 serve to buffer the movement. Also, the pull cord 32 serves to help the buffering cylinders 4 in restoring the pedals.

In actual operation, when a left foot of a user treads the pedal 2B, the pedal 2B is swung downward. At this time, the rock arm 33 and supporting arm 34 of the supporting mechanism 30 are pressed downward and folded to a predetermined minimum angle. The minimum angle is larger than zero degree. (When unfolded, the maximum angle is smaller than 180 degrees.) At the same time, the buffering cylinder 4 is retracted. Accordingly, the pedal 2B can be stably supported by the supporting mechanism 30 and smoothly swung as shown in FIG. 4. At this time, the pull cord 32 on the pulley 31 is tracked left and right. When the left foot treads the left pedal 2B, the right pedal 2A is tracked by the pull cord 32 as shown in FIG. 5. Reversely, when the right foot of the user treads the right pedal 2A, the driving movement is reversely performed. Accordingly, the left and right pedals 2A, 2B are repeatedly alternately treaded to achieve an exercising effect.

The side by side arranged pedals 2A, 2B of the present invention are supported by the rock arms 33 and the supporting arms 34 of the supporting mechanisms 30, which are pivotally connected with each other. Therefore, when the pedals 2A, 2B are pressed down or elevated, the rock arms 33 and the supporting arms 34 are stably pressed and folded or unfolded to a preset angle. Accordingly, a user can smoothly tread the pedals. The supporting mechanism 30 cooperates with the pivoting linking mechanism 3 in stabilizing the operation of the treadmill so as to ensure safety.

FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the pivoting linking mechanism 3 alternatively includes a linking bracket 9. Two operating bars 91 are pivotally connected with the linking bracket 9 and the pivot shafts 35 pivotally connecting the rock arms 33 with the supporting arms 34. Accordingly, the two pedals 2A, 2B are also mutually drivingly movable to achieve the same effect as the first embodiment.

The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 

1. A treadmill comprising: a frame body; two pedals side by side pivotally mounted on the frame body, each pedal being looped with an endless belt; and a pivoting linking mechanism disposed on an inner side of a front beam of the frame body for alternatively mutually driving the pedals, a dampening cylinder being disposed between each pedal and the frame body, the dampening cylinder being connected with a supporting mechanism, whereby when the pedals are mutually drivingly moved in reverse directions, the dampening cylinders serve to buffer movement thereof, said treadmill being characterized in that the supporting mechanism is mounted under each pedal and includes a linkage arm one end of which is pivotally connected with a bottom of each pedal, the other end of the linkage arm via a pivot shaft being pivotally connected with one end of a supporting arm, the other end of the supporting arm being connected with the frame body.
 2. The treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein each linkage arm includes two corresponding side slats pivotally connected with each other via a pivot shaft, each supporting arm including two corresponding side slats pivotally connected with each other via a pivot shaft, each linkage arm and a corresponding supporting arm being pivotally connected with each other via a pivot shaft to contain an angle and form a V-shaped structure.
 3. The treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supporting mechanism is drivingly connected with the pivoting linking mechanism, the pivoting linking mechanism including a pulley and a pull cord wound over the pulley, two ends of the pull cord being respectively connected to the pivot shafts pivotally connecting the linkage arms with the supporting arms, whereby the two pedals are mutually drivingly movable.
 4. The treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein a connecting beam is connected between two lengthwise beams of the frame body, the supporting arm via a pivot plate being pivotally connected with the connecting beam.
 5. The treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supporting mechanism is drivingly connected with the pivoting linking mechanism, the pivoting linking mechanism including a linking bracket and two operating bars pivotally connected with the linking bracket, the operating bars being also pivotally connected with the pivot shafts pivotally connecting the linkage arms with the supporting arms, whereby the two pedals are mutually drivingly movable. 